


Let's keep it ambiguous

by madhatt



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-29
Updated: 2016-06-29
Packaged: 2018-07-19 03:09:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7342240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madhatt/pseuds/madhatt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things rarely go according to plan. Prowl would be the last one to say that out loud, but even he has to admit defeat sometimes. Still, when the world plays a nasty trick on him and Starscream, he decides to work with what he's got. Especially when it just might mean finally finding a way to end the Autobots-Decepticons war.<br/>Or: Let's see what happens when Prowl and Starscream decide to end the war, using the power of (not exactly) love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Starscream looked at Megatron's back, a mix of fondness and uncertainty clouding his processor. He felt like it was the only thing he had been doing all his life, the only thing he really knew how to do – standing to Megatron's right, a little behind him, ready to carry out his orders, no matter how daring or mundane they happened to be that solar cycle. 

And still, despite the familiarity of it all, it surprised him the other Decepticon let him do that. After all the vorns they had spent at each other's sides, it was a thing to marvel, that the Decepticon leader found it in himself to turn away from his Second in Command, trusting him to not betray him and literally stab him in the back. Starscream scowled. He couldn't help the schooled thought – that Megatron thought him weak and undeserving – to appear in his processor. But not for long. They knew each other too long and too well for that. The Seeker knew the other mech was aware of his worth. So he couldn't really blame his leader for choosing to stick to the evil he knew so very well, with the Seeker always testing him, but never actually eliminating. After all Starscream remained mostly capable and loyal, if not to Megatron, then at least to the cause. 

_And wasn't Megatron in for a surprise_ , Starscream thought bitterly. As he followed Megatron to the edge of the ramp of their ship, he looked at the fleet of the Decepticons, already hovering in space, waiting for the order to depart for Earth. There were dozens of them, menacing and imposing. Starscream watched them with pride, especially his Thundercracker and Skywarp, circling to the side, waiting for Starscream to join them, complete trust in his trinemate always guiding them.

Starscream also watched his troops with a trace of sadness and doubt. Was he actually capable of betraying all he stood for, finishing it once and for all?

“We are ready to crush them, Starscream.” Megatron's voice yanked him out of his thoughts. Megatron's optics were fogged, looking but not exactly seeing. “This is the day. The day to end it all.” The Decepticon Lord took a step forward, ready to take off for Earth. 

Starscream thought of the future – not only his own, but also Skywarp and Thundercracker's, even Megatron's. But most of all, he considered Prowl's fate. And how it could affect him.

Suddenly sure of himself, Starscream followed. He could do it. And he would do it.

  
  


Unbeknownst to Starscream, Prowl was also staring at his own leader, having similar thoughts.  _He can do it. I'm sure he will do it_ , he kept repeating in his processor, thinking of the Seeker, who had probably by now taken off, along with a whole fleet of energon-thirsty Decepticons.

“He better not betray us,” mumbled Ironhide, who stood right next to Prowl, voicing the thoughts of probably the whole Autobot command. Prowl couldn't blame them. He was the fool for so easily trusting a Decepticon.

“He won't,” answered Prowl a little too quickly, trying to silence his processor.

“How can you be so sure?” Ironhide huffed, and to anyone else he would probably seem angry, but Prowl could see the worry in his optics. Not for their Autobots, but for the tactician himself.

Prowl wasn't sure of Starscream. Still he said, “I don't have the luxury to doubt him.”

Ironhide didn't answer, and so Prowl went back to watching Optimus. Their Prime was tense, his optics stormy, as he looked at the sky, waiting for Megatron to appear. He was putting much more hope in the outcome of this battle than he wanted to admit, but it was the exact amount any of his Autobots expected of him. Prowl so desperately didn't want to let him down.

Still he knew there was nothing he could do now but wait. All the meticulous planning of the last stellar cycle had led to that point and now he had to trust in the mechs that helped him along. He had to trust in himself.

The tactician rubbed his chest plating. It itched.

Prowl almost jumped when there was suddenly a hand grasping his servos and squeezing lightly. “He did his part of the deal and he'll help during the battle, I'm sure.” Jazz was looking up at him, his visor gleaming in the darkness of the night on Earth. He squeezed Prowl's hand one more time, then quickly let go, before the tactician could scold him for this unnecessary gesture.

He was reluctant to admit it, but now was the time Prowl actually appreciated Jazz's support. He didn't have a chance to thank his friend however, for all too soon a fleet of Decepticons flying in formation appeared on the Earth's night sky. It was all finally beginning. The end of the war.

Prowl stared at the sky, as his doorwings trembled. No turning back now.

 


	2. Part I: Reignition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two Seconds in Command meet, some promises are made, and truces formed.   
> Or: How I ended up trusting the enemy.

“So the reason you brought me here was...?” Starscream looked at Prowl expectantly, silently urging him to speak. He carefully regarded the black and white plating of the Autobot, watched the warm glow of the Earth's Sun dance on the still form in front of him; he couldn't help but glance at the red chevron and stare into the cold optics. The Seeker's hands clenched. He had seen those optics flare up once before, in a heat of a moment that seemed almost forgotten and yet mysteriously still so vivid. There was no trace of that liveliness past in the icy blue stare now. Prowl made sure of that. And despite the attention, he remained stubbornly silent – he hadn't spoken even once since the moment Starscream had arrived at the meeting point, five Earth minutes earlier. 

“I certainly hope it's not some sort of wishful thinking about repeating our... tryst,” sneered the Seeker. He hoped Prowl wouldn't see past his demeanour and realize how anxious he was in reality, surprised and thrown off his game by the Praxian's unusual request for a meeting. 

He didn't have to worry – Prowl wasn't paying him enough attention to dig under his masks.

Although they both promised to keep their little get-together a secret, far were they from trusting each other to keep a word, and involve neither Autobots nor Decepticons. That's why faced with the continuing silence, Starscream so much more carefully kept a vigil audio, almost expecting that well-known rumble of alt-mode engines to be heard any moment. Truth be told, he wasn't the only one readying for battle – Prowl discreetly kept his optics on the sky, quite surprised there was no other Seeker approaching yet.

Finally after quite a long time, despite their mutual distrust, their optics managed to meet by accident. Prowl decided to use the opportunity as soon as it presented itself, and he spoke, before his processor could talk him out of it, as it had been doing the past couple of minutes.

“I'm with a sparkling,” he said, silently begging for his vocalizer to sound as indifferent and cool as possible. He managed it quite a bit, if anyone was to ask him, even if it came out much quieter than he intended.

Fortunately he didn't have to cry or shout, for his monotonous voice to have the desired effect – hearing his words Starscream stepped back as if he were struck, and for one unending klik his face betrayed his obvious surprise before he schooled it carefully blank again. If only his racing processor and whirling spark could be just as steady.

“Are you sure?” was the first thing to leave his vocalizer. It almost glitched.

Prowl frowned. “If it wasn't for the circumstances, I would show you my spark and the little thing that latched itself onto it,” he said coldly. “But I hope you understand my reluctance to do so.”

They fell silent once again. Prowl expected some sort of inquiring, maybe even Starscream trying to deny what their meeting was so obviously suggesting, but he did none of that. He didn't ask Prowl if he were sure he had sought out the right sire, or if he were making some ridiculous joke just for the sake of it. They both knew what they had done, even if at that time they didn't exactly think of the consequences.

“What are you planning to do?” asked Starscream instead, his usually passionately red optics studying Prowl carefully.

“I'm keeping it of course,” replied Prowl without thinking.

Despite trying to look indifferent, Starscream relaxed visibly. His wings sagged down comfortably on his back and his mechanics settled with a groan. Only now, with Starscream somehow placated by Prowl's admission, they both fully realized the tension of just kliks ago.

“That's... that's good,” Starscream whispered to himself. He was still looking at Prowl, who was standing in front of him unflinchingly, something close to curiosity appearing on his face. “Can I still ask you though, why? It's not an outcome of love, it's not mutually beneficial, that's for certain. What else but burden it could be to you?”

Prowl's doorwings jerked, as if he was shaking off some unwanted attention. “I don't care who's the sire, if that's what you are worried about. I don't care if it's a _Decepticon_.” He snarled and looked straight at Starsream. The tactician couldn't help but recall the uprising from cycles back and Decepticon's rise to power. Then the fall of everything that made him feel safe enough to think about creating a family of his own. Now he had a chance to do it again. He still looked sure of himself, but he visibly lost some of his confidence, as he continued in a quieter tone. “Now as I'm carrying, I'm not losing my chance,” he voiced his thoughts.

“Even with the war raging all around?”

Prowl's optics gleamed with resolve. “Well, it's just another good reason to try harder to end it, isn't it?”

Starscream stayed silent. The end of the war seemed like an unattainable goal, he didn't think anyone was expecting it to happen anymore. Could they even live without fighting? Did they, both Autobots and Decepticons, know how to live to create, instead of constantly destroying? He thought about Megatron and Optimus Prime, about his Skywarp and Thundercracker... He remembered their flights under the clear skies of Vos, the freedom and carelessness that came with it.

He bit his lip. “You think you can end the war now? When you couldn't before?”

“Now I have some needed motivation.”

Starscream flared his wings, at first looking exasperated. It was unbelievable – the fact Prowl reached out to him, that he told him about the sparkling and outright declared his wish to fight the Decepticons with doubled efforts. It was all sounding so appealing, Starscream couldn't stop himself from wondering what it would be like... He liked the sound of it all.

Deciding to go with his usual recklessness, in the end he just shrugged and looked at Prowl with a roguish smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Also you have me now.”

It was Prowl's turn to look surprised. “I don't follow.”

“Oh don't look at me like that.” Starscream whirled his fans, showing his annoyance, though there was no real bite behind it. “We both know I'm not exactly that devoted to Megatron. I'm well aware you all joke about me trying to stab him in the back every other cycle.” Despite himself, Prowl smirked, thinking just how true it was. But before he could comment on that, Starscream continued, suspiciously shy this time. “You know, no matter what is between you and me, or rather, what is obviously lacking... It is _my_ sparkling you're carrying and I won't let the little one see all of that... All this war.”

“Are you serious?” Prowl asked, his voice doubtful. 

Starscream grinned, more and more sure of himself with every passing klik. “Yeah, I am,” he said and reached his hand out. Prowl took it eagerly. Even if he was shaking a little, neither commented on that.

And so the most improbable truce was formed. Both Prowl and Starscream watched each other, a thin thread of common understanding forming between them. The masks disappeared, and Starscream was looking at Prowl with optimistic resolve, Optimus Prime's tactician finally letting some of his nervousness show on his features.

“We can do it,” whispered Prowl.

Starscream nodded his head. “We will do it.”

  
  


By the time Prowl was on his way back to their temporary base on Earth, it got comfortingly dark, the moon being the only source of silvery light. In contrast, the inside of the base was bathed in a vivid artificial light. Prowl winced. It was making his processor ache. This pain, it was one of the reasons he got curious about his health – constant throbbing of his processor, clenching of the spark and the continuing exhaustion, it began to worry even him. Led by some wicked curiosity, he locked the door to his temporary office, and initiated the sequence of parting the plating of his chest. He glanced inside himself.

His spark looked exactly the same as it always did – pale blue, almost white, with thin tendrils of energy twirling around it. For a moment he believed everything was alright. He released the hot air that gathered under his plating. He was about to close his plating, when he noticed _it –_ a small dot circling his spark, pulsing rhythmically.

Ever since that solar cycle, he watched the small spark of his future offspring daily. It was wondrous.

And now, as he was quickly making way to his room, that was all he could think about, to check if it was still there, safely tucked against his spark.

That was probably why he hadn't noticed Jazz approaching him and falling into step beside him, until the other mech spoke. “You were gone awfully long, it was getting boring with only Ratchet to tease.”

“One cycle he's not going to control himself and you'll regret messing with the medic, of all mechs,” Prowl replied absentmindedly.

Jazz punch his arm, no real malice behind it. Still Prowl winced. Lately his plating was getting progressively oversensitive. “It's still gonna be worth it.”

“If you say so.”

Jazz stopped so suddenly, Prowl realized it only after a few more steps and had to look back, straight at the other Autobot's gleaming visor. “Are you all right?” Jazz sounded worried.

“Yes, everything's good,” he said, making himself sound as convincing as he could.

“If you are sure,” answered Jazz, but he sounded doubtful. He seemed to consider something for a moment, then asked, “Maybe you should see Ratchet?”

“After you teased him for a whole solar cycle?” Prowl smirked at Jazz, succeeding in making his fellow commanding officer smile. Still he understood his friend's concern, even felt grateful for it. “You don't have to worry, I plan to see him soon. But maybe when he's in a better mood,” he said.

“So something _is_ wrong?”

“No, I'm just overworking myself.” He smirked once again. “This time I'm going to play it wise and see Ratchet _before_ I collapse during a tactical meeting.”

That seemed to convince Jazz. He put his hand on Prowl's arm and squeezed. “You do that.”

“I will.”

Jazz looked him straight in the optics one more time, as if he was searching for something. He must have found what he was looking for, because he smiled. “Good.”

  
  


When Prowl finally got to his room, it was even more into the night. He almost collapsed on his berth, the strain of the whole day finally getting to him. His fans whirled as he got comfortable on his side, his doorwings trembling lightly as he tried to relax. He was tired. Of both everything that happened, as well as pretending he was indifferent to what was going on in his life. He was about to offline his optics, when he noticed the small diode on his console blinking red.

_How fitting,_ he thought, as he recalled Starscream's crimson optics. Prowl had no doubts whatsoever, who it was trying to contact him.

The Praxian forced himself to stand up once again and approached the console. He activated it and received the incoming message. It was encrypted. He quickly punched in a code needed for decrypting it.

The message that he then read, went like this:

_I'm just checking if the channel we are about to be using works. It probably does, seeing as it was you who set it up. Anyway. Our meeting today was certainly unexpected and we didn't really have a chance to discuss everything that we need to discuss. We should meet again, maybe in a safer place, with more time to spare. Until then, take good care of yourself. S._

Prowl's spark pulsed as he looked at the message for a few kliks longer than necessary. Having read it a couple more times, lingering on the last sentence especially, Prowl quickly deleted it. Then he typed his reply.

_Everything works as it should. As soon as I know my schedule, I will send you time and place of our next meeting. You too take care._

He didn't bother signing it. There was no need for that. He filtered his message through the encrypting program and sent it.

As soon as he did, he felt calmness overcome him. Steadily he went to sit on his berth. He relaxed his doorwings and parted his chest plating – everything was as it should be. He closed his spark chamber and curled on his berth, his hand caressing his bumper. He slowly drifted off into recharge, thinking about the future.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Writing hasn't been kind to me as of late. Faced with the biggest writing block I had in years, I decided to treat it with some Prowl and Starscream loving. Because what else could possibly help me get over it?  
> This fic will probably be extremely slow burn, even if I know exactly how I want it to unravel and end, so prepare buckets of patience. I promise to do my best to post a chapter every two weeks (I don't think I'll manage one chapter a week, since they'll be probably much longer that the first two ones), but you know how it is with life- you can't plan everything.  
> Also now as I've gotten started with writing once again, I should soon finish some other fics that are long overdue.
> 
> Anyway, read and comment, because nothing makes an author write faster and better than some feedback.


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